OEGlobal 2026: Full Schedule

All sessions are available online except round tables, special activities, and workshops.

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10:30am EDT

From Print to Audiobook: Amplifying Student Voices Through Open Pedagogy

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT

ID: 31683

This session explores the creation of an open audiobook for College of DuPage’s introductory-level speech communication OER textbook, Exploring Communication in the Real World. The audiobook was developed to expand access to learning materials while engaging students as collaborators in the creation of open educational resources. Designed to accompany and reinvigorate an existing OER speech communication textbook, the audiobook leverages open pedagogy by involving students in the recording, editing, and production of chapter segments. Through this process, students contributed directly to a resource that benefits future learners while developing practical communication, media production, and collaboration skills. This session will discuss how students can transform into a speaker in narration, an audio technician in editing and post-production, and a textbook editor in suggesting or discovering what content may be outdated or may not be clearly understood by students. Presenters will give examples of what was discovered by working with students as co-creators of course material content. The project demonstrates how open pedagogy can transform students from consumers of course materials into active knowledge creators. Participants will learn about the project’s design, including workflows for student participation, accessibility considerations, and strategies for maintaining quality in a collaborative production process. Presenters will give an overview of textbook selection and considerations for selecting this content over others, including information on how a multimedia version of the text can enhance or complement the digital or print version. The session will also explore how open audiobooks can expand the format of OER to better support diverse learners, including those who benefit from multimodal and accessible content. This presentation invites discussion about how institutions and the broader open education community can support innovative forms of open content that democratize knowledge production and make learning materials more inclusive, adaptable, and sustainable. This project was a collaboration between the Library's OER Grant Program and Media Lab. Presenters welcome questions about the process of open publishing and the differences between digital, print, and audio with special consideration for funding, licensing, and necessary skills. In addition, the post-production process, scope of work for students, part-time staff, and full-time staff, and how the success of the program was measured will be discussed. This session will include interactive elements such as links, resources, and audio samples of the work created so attendees can visualize the process along with the presentation. Attendees will be provided with access to the published audiobook at the conclusion of the session.

Speakers

Lauren Kosrow

Digital Content and Open Access Librarian, College of DuPage

Lauren serves as the Digital Content and Open Access Librarian at College of DuPage and chair of the OER Steering Committee. In this role, she facilitates the Faculty Support Grant program and provides leadership for the college’s textbook affordability initiatives. Lauren has an... Read More →

Danielle Oakes

Media Lab Supervisor, College of DuPage

Danielle Oakes, MLIS, works as Media Lab Supervisor at the College of DuPage Library. Past credentials include work in multiple libraries, archives, and museums in Illinois with a focus on emerging and/or vintage technologies. This Guinness World Record holder has been published for... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
2 Room M MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

10:30am EDT

Open Pedagogy in Action: Enhancing Information Literacy Through Student-Led OER Revision

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT

4 Room T

ID: 32228

Open pedagogy provides students with opportunities for their work to have purpose outside of the classroom through the creation or improvement of open educational resources (OER; Witt, 2020). One potential application of open pedagogy is for students to collaborate with their instructor to update an OER (Tillinghast et al., 2020). OER textbooks in particular need updating as new research is conducted and the findings reported in the textbook may be found to be inaccurate or incomplete given the current body of knowledge. In this case study, students across two semesters of an introductory-level child development course collaborated with the instructor to update the research findings reported in the course OER. Throughout the course, students used social annotation to flag citations that were five years or older. A librarian demonstrated to the students how to find scholarly articles using the campus library databases. Students at the end of the term were assigned to chapters to find a scholarly article to update one of the outdated citations. The article was first approved by the instructor to check that it was indeed scholarly and appropriate for the textbook. Then, students organized the information from the article into tables with suggestions for where and how the article could be cited in the textbook . Because students were learning how to identify, use, and create information in this open pedagogy project, it was expected that information literacy skills would be developed. To test this expectation, the students in the course were invited to complete information literacy self-reports of their skills before and after the project (using a measure adapted from Sommer et al., 2021). There was a focus on examining changes in source evaluation skills, given that the project emphasized finding and identifying appropriate sources for updating the OER textbook. Students reported an increase in source evaluation skills based on their indicated level of confidence in items such as “evaluate internet sources,” and “select information most appropriate for the need” from the beginning (M = 3.72, SD = .54) to the end of the semester (M = 4.25, SD = .50; t(90) = 7.73, p < .001). In open-ended responses to skills developed, 72 students mentioned research and source finding skills (e.g., “I learned how to use the library’s databases to find a relevant article”), 48 stated identifying outdated information (e.g., “I developed a focus on comparing information that is modern to information that is outdated”), 38 mentioned critical thinking (e.g., “Looking at sources and realizing not everything in a textbook is law”), 22 mentioned reading and note taking skills (e.g., “It gave me an opportunity to dissect the textbook in many sections”), and 18 mentioned deeper comprehension and engagement (e.g., “It helped me get a better understanding of the concepts”; note that students mentioned multiple skills in their responses). Taken together, the findings indicate that having students collaborate on updating an OER textbook benefits the students involved in developing important skills and benefits future students through an improved textbook.

Speakers

Virginia Clinton-Lisell

Associate Professor, University of North Dakota

Dr. Virginia Clinton-Lisell began her career in education as an ESL teacher in New York City. She then obtained her PhD in Educational Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science at the University of Minnesota where she was trained in educational research. She has published over... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
4 Room T MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

10:30am EDT

Reframing the Past, Reimagining the Future: OER Project’s Approach to History and Climate Education

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT

6 DR4

ID: 33807

As access to information expands globally, the question is no longer whether knowledge is available, but whose knowledge is represented and how it is framed. OER offers a powerful opportunity not only to remove cost barriers but also to rethink the narratives and perspectives embedded in educational content—and OER Project brings this opportunity to social studies, an often-overlooked discipline that so greatly impacts our present and future. This session explores how openly licensed history and climate curricula offered by OER Project can contribute to a more inclusive and democratic approach to learning. In social studies education, the phrase “to the victor go the spoils” too often underpins historical narratives. Many state standards lean heavily toward a more “traditional narrative,” and textbook publishers therefore follow their lead. OER provides an opportunity to transcend these narratives and open a conversation about who history is about and who it is for. The nature of OER allows for an expanded view of history, enabling students to learn about the diverse underpinnings of our past. OER Project history courses—Big History and World History—were designed to meet standards (because yes, standards are important), but also to provide opportunities for students to learn a more comprehensive and inclusive history, from the impact of Islamic scholars on our understanding of science to the contributions of lesser-known individuals who shaped history, such as Sorqoqtani Beki, who used her networks to shape the Mongol Empire, and Manuel Quezon, who helped more than 1,300 Jewish refugees escaping persecution find a home in the Philippines. OER Project: Climate is a course designed to bring climate change into all classrooms. We believe solving the climate crisis is not a topic that should be contained to science classrooms; solutions are interdisciplinary, and we believe all students—and teachers—should feel equipped to understand and confront the issue. Participants will consider how incorporating multiple perspectives—across regions, cultures, and voices—can help learners better understand complexity, challenge dominant narratives, and engage more critically with historical interpretation. In addition to social studies content, the session highlights the role of open resources in addressing urgent global challenges. Using a climate change course grounded in solutions-oriented thinking, we will explore how OER Project can empower learners not just with knowledge of problems but with frameworks for action and agency. This approach reflects a broader shift in education toward equipping learners to navigate uncertainty and participate meaningfully in shaping the future. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of OER Project resources that help democratize knowledge and to reflect on how they could incorporate these resources into their own teaching. By the end of the session, participants will leave with practical strategies for evaluating and implementing open resources that prioritize inclusivity, representation, and learner agency.

Speakers

Chelsea Katzenberg

Academic Lead, OER Project

Chelsea Katzenberg is the Academic Lead at OER Project where she is responsible for managing the content development and updates for all OER Project courses. Before joining OER Project, Chelsea was a founding member of a charter high school in the South Bronx, where she taught world... Read More →

Angelina Meadows Comb

Director of Education, OER Project

Angelina Meadows Comb serves as Director of OER Project, where she leads the development of innovative K-12 social studies curriculum and educator resources. Her leadership advances collaboration and empowers educators to strengthen teaching and learning nationwide.

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

10:30am EDT

Service Learning: Decolonizing Open Education Through African Knowledge Co-Creation

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT

5 DR3

ID: 33634

Service Learning: Decolonizing Open Education through African Knowledge Co-CreationIn Eastern, Western, Central and Southern Africa, Catholic Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs) are at a critical crossroads. While international knowledge systems have expanded through digital transformation and Open Educational Resources (OER), much of the content, pedagogy, and epistemology remains rooted in colonial legacies that marginalize indigenous knowledge systems and African voices. Open Education has expanded access to knowledge globally, yet critical gaps remain regarding whose knowledge is represented and legitimized. In African CHEIs, colonial legacies through Christianity continue to shape curricula, often marginalizing indigenous knowledge systems and local epistemologies (Ngungi Wa Thiong’o, 1968; Andrew Furco, 1996; Linda Tuhiwai Smith, 1999; Boaventura de Sousa Santos, 2014 & Pete, J. 2019).This presentation examines how open practices can advance the decolonization of education by repositioning knowledge as a contextualized public good for all. Drawing on over a decade of practice in Service Learning and OER, the session presents case studies from selected African CHEIs where students and communities co-create knowledge. Practical examples include: (1) Service Learning projects where students document indigenous knowledge and community innovations as open resources (local language use); (2) collaborative development of localized OER to support context-relevant teaching (faculty led); and (3) regional initiatives promoting open knowledge sharing across CHEIs in 13 Nations of Africa.These practices demonstrate how open pedagogy can shift universities from knowledge transmitters to knowledge co-creators embedded in society’s local context. The session contributes to the conference theme by showcasing African-led innovations that not only adopt but reimagine open education through equity (Solidarity Service Learning), relevance (Empathy), and epistemic justice(Synodality). The conference Pathway of Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge provides a unique opportunity to reimagine education as a public good for all, emphasizing accessibility, inclusion, and contextually relevant. By embracing open practices, African institutions especially CHEIs can democratize knowledge production and dissemination while reclaiming epistemic agency in the 21st century. In a nutshell, this presentation explores the intersection of open education, service learning, and decolonization within African education contexts. While OER and open practices aim to democratize knowledge, they often reproduce global inequalities when detached from local realities. Drawing from the presenter’s work as a regional director in Service Learning and involvement in international OER initiatives, the session highlights three practice-based case studies from several African universities:Service Learning as Open Knowledge Creation: At Catholic Higher Education Institutions and other partner universities in Eastern, Western, Central and Southern Africa, students engage with communities to co-create knowledge. Projects include documenting indigenous agricultural practices, community health solutions, prison ministry and local innovations. Localizing Open Educational Resources: Through curriculum integration efforts, faculty and students collaboratively adapt and develop OER that reflect African context thus embedding local case studies, languages, and lived realities. This addresses the disconnect between imported content and contextual relevance.Regional Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Cross-institutional initiatives have fostered networks of educators working on open practices, enabling sharing of resources, pedagogies, and strategies for embedding openness within teaching, learning, and research.

Speakers

Judith Pete

Lecturer & Research Coordinator, Tangaza University

Dr. Judith Pete is a Senior Lecturer, Global Researcher and Africa Director for Service Learning at Higher Education institutions in Africa for over a decade. Worked in Regional Non-Governmental Organizations in different managerial and leadership capacities. She is currently the... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

11:05am EDT

From Campsite to Commons: Reimagining Who Builds and Owns Open Knowledge

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT

4 Room T

ID: 33568

For decades, National Geographic Education has translated the work of Explorers, storytellers, educators and community leaders, into classroom-ready resources, reaching millions of educators and learners worldwide. But like many institutions, we found ourselves “making camp”: Publishing high-quality content that was widely accessed, yet largely static. Difficult to adapt, remix, or meaningfully co-own across contexts.This session explores what it takes to move from that campsite to a true commons.In partnership with the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), we are building the PowerED by National Geographic Society Hub on OER Commons: Not just as a repository, but as a participatory ecosystem. This shift is not primarily technical; it is cultural. It asks: Who builds knowledge? Who adapts it? Who owns it?At the center of this work is a reimagining of authorship. National Geographic Explorers are no longer only sources of expertise; they are co-creators alongside educators and, increasingly, learners. Together, they design open educational resources that are intended to be adapted: across geographies, cultures, and learning environments. An Explorer’s fieldwork becomes not a finished product, but a starting point for collective knowledge-building.We will share key strategies that have supported this transition from publishing to shared ownership:Designing modular OER templates that invite remix, localization, and reinterpretationBuilding capacity through an OER Fundamentals Academy, where educators learn to license, adapt, and publish their own workUsing platform analytics (e.g., remixing, downloads, global participation) to understand how knowledge moves and evolvesCreating feedback loops that position educators and communities as contributors—not just consumersParticipants will engage with real examples from the hub, including co-created lessons on topics such as volcanism and cultural storytelling, and see how these resources evolve as they are remixed and recontextualized. We will also share early insights from our academy model, where participants reported increased confidence in contributing to OER and a stronger sense of belonging within a global knowledge community.Ultimately, this session invites a shift in perspective: What if open education is not a collection of resources, but a shared space we build and rebuild together?

Speakers

Tyson Brown

Director, National Geographic Society

Tyson Brown leads the Dissemination, Platforms and Explorer Experience team for the National Geographic Society. In this role, he contributes to the organization’s strategic plan, leads product development and marketing for a library of materials, and delivers delightful content... Read More →

Patrick Cavanagh

Manager, Content Design, National Geographic Society

Patrick has been with the Education division of National Geographic Society for ten years. His background is in graphic design, and he also has training and experience in project management. He co-leads the Society's OER initiative.

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
4 Room T MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Hybrid
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

11:05am EDT

Identify, Connect, and Refresh: A Practical Framework for Multi-Institutional Collaboration to Democratize Educational Resources

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT

5 DR3

ID: 32112

This abstract documents the author and his team’s application of a three-step framework to facilitate collaboration among the six technical institutes of higher education in Singapore. These national institutes are namely Singapore Polytechnic (SP, the author’s affiliation), Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, and Institute of Technical Education. The collaboration enabled the democratization of shared educational resources on their jointly-developed one-stop online portal known as POLITEMall, by applying the practical framework of identify, connect, and refresh. The first step of the framework is to strategically identify which institute is to be in charge of creating and maintaining which subject modules (also known as courses in the United States) on POLITEMall. For instance, SP is renowned for engineering among the six institutes and is hence responsible for the online modules related to built environment, engineering, and maritime. This strategy maximizes the academic quality and rigor of the online modules on POLITEMall, as the most qualified lecturers will be responsible for the modules in their relevant fields. The massive workload to create and maintain all the 297 diverse online modules is also equitably shared among the respective institutes in charge. Subsequently, the second step of the framework is to intentionally connect learners to the online modules that are directly relevant to them. For instance, students in the mechanical engineering diploma courses (also known as programs in the United States) will be pre-enrolled in online modules such as Mechanics and Thermofluids (the author’s module in SP). This strategy ensures learners are intentionally aligned to their educational needs and interests, hence also enhancing knowledge retention of the online modules. Nonetheless, all of the approximately 120,000 full-time and part-time students and staff across the six institutes can virtually self-enroll for free to access any of the 297 diverse online modules on POLITEMall. Lastly, the third step of the framework is to periodically refresh the online modules for sustained quality, relevance, and currency of the shared educational resources on POLITEMall. For instance, at the end of every semester after student feedback surveys, lecturers will bridge any content gaps within their online modules during the breaks. Moreover, subject-matter expert lecturers from the six institutes have mutually agreed to convene every two to three years to review the POLITEMall online modules, ensuring their content remains relevant and current. Today’s world is increasingly fragmented and more nations are working in silos. The future of our global and local educational landscapes should instead be based on open knowledge, communication, and collaboration. By applying this practical three-step framework of identify, connect, and refresh, institutes can move beyond initial silos and toward a more sustainable future of shared educational resources and democratized knowledge on a national level.

Speakers

Ying-Wei Leong

Senior Lecturer (Distinguished Educator) and Teaching & Learning Mentor, Singapore Polytechnic

Mr. Ying-Wei Leong is currently a Senior Lecturer (Distinguished Educator) and Teaching & Learning Mentor in the School of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, Singapore Polytechnic. He teaches engineering core modules and also supervises final year projects, including an industry... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Online
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

11:05am EDT

TESSFEG: An Open Source Gamified Simulations System for Democratizing Technical Knowledge for Global Learners

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT

6 DR4

ID: 32456

The rapid advancement of frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing indirectly threatens to widen the global knowledge gap. While these fields define the future of industry, high quality engineering education even in open access remains largely gatekept by high-bandwidth requirements or complex proprietary software. This session introduces TESSFEG - an open source, mission-driven digital platform designed to reinvent how young learners engage with the emerging technological fields. By transforming abstract STEM concepts into tactile, interactive and engaging engineering challenges, TESSFEG serves as a functional prototype for fulfilling crucial goals such as the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education). TESSFEG utilises a rigorous yet user friendly 2D simulation environment bult to ensure high-performance learning that remains accessible even on low bandwidth network and low spec-hardware. The platform replaces shallow metaphors with real mathematical and physical laws, such as Ohm's law and strict Boolean logic. Learners engage in an authentic engineering design loop : moving from passive learning to active investigation and iterative testing under realistic simulated environments.Moreover, TESSFEG demonstrates a strong connection to real-world engineering challenges as the mission modules will directly mirro contemporary global research initiatives such as processing telemetry data from deep space probes or designing systems for ecological conservation and sustainable development. This approach shifts motivation from simple progression to understanding how technology impacts the world. To ensure global inclusivity, TESSFEG employs universal design principles and adaptive learning interactions. The interface minimizes text in favor of standard scientific symbols and interactive tutorials, facilitating participation across linguistic barriers. Designed as a lightweight 2D browser tool, it is optimized for environments with fluctuating internet connections, making it a scalable resource for remote connectivity. As an open source tool, TESSFEG is a collaborative invitation to the open education community. Finally, TESSFEG demonstrates that while at present, we cannot solve global educational inequality effortlessly, we can invent tools that make the vision of open knowledge a reality.

Speakers

Pariton Langpoklakpam

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)

Pariton Langpoklakpam is a citizen scientist and educator currently pursuing M.Sc Physics at IGNOU. With a foundational degree in Physics Honours from Manipur University, his work focuses on the intersection of frontier technology and open education. Pariton is the lead architect... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Online
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

12:25pm EDT

The Open Science Adoption Gap in Research Training

Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

6 DR4

ID: 33915

Open science has become a central element of global science policy and open education. International initiatives such as the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science (2021) encourage transparency, accessibility, and collaboration in research. Universities and research agencies have increasingly implemented infrastructures and policies supporting open access publishing, open repositories, and open research data. However, open science requires not only open infrastructures but also capacity building for the collective process of knowledge creation (Peršić and Straza, 2023). How are future researchers educated to embrace open practices and become part of this open ecosystem? This session examines the relationship between open science policies and the educational practices (Cronin, 2017) that prepare researchers to engage in open science. It provides a Latin American perspective by examining how open science is translated into research training within a public university in Uruguay. The study analyzes how open science concepts and practices appear in social sciences undergraduate studies and humanities programs at a large public university. The research focuses on the curricular content of 56 undergraduate courses related to research training, including methodology, epistemology, statistics, information science, and digital technologies.Using qualitative content analysis supported by AI-assisted tools, the study explores whether open education and open science principles—such as open educational resources, open access, open data, open peer review, and collaborative research—are explicitly or implicitly present in course programs. The results reveal a significant gap between the institutional promotion of open science and the educational preparation of future researchers. Explicit references to open science are largely absent from the analyzed curricula. While some courses address elements related to the public nature of science, data management, or research transparency, the systematic teaching of open science practices remains limited.Drawing on sociological perspectives on academic habitus (Bourdieu, 1990) and theories of technological appropriation, the session argues that the adoption of open science depends not only on policies and infrastructures but also on how openness becomes embedded in teaching and learning the professional grounds and practices of open research. From an open education perspective, integrating open science into research training curricula may represent a crucial step in enabling universities to move from policy adoption toward the meaningful practice of openness in knowledge production.The session invites participants to reflect on how global open science agendas encounter local academic traditions, institutional constraints, and epistemic inequalities (Fricker, 2007) in research training. It aims at answering how higher education institutions can bridge the gap and connect open science policies with open education strategies that support the development of new generations capable of working within open knowledge ecosystems.

Speakers

Mariana Porta Galván

Universidad de la República

Mariana Porta is a sociologist and holds a PhD in Informatics in Education from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and Universidad de la República (UFRGS–Udelar). She is a faculty member and researcher at Universidad de la República, Uruguay, where she works at the intersection... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

12:25pm EDT

Wikipedia and Open Education

Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT

4 Room T

ID: 34909

This presentation explores how might we transform a university’s course catalog, expert faculty, and multimedia archives into a global public good through the Wikimedia ecosystem. We explore formal, institutional-scale collaborations that move beyond traditional classroom or departmental-level projects in higher education. A focus of the effort we have underway at MIT is the shift toward a "multimedia-first" strategy. By integrating video lectures and course materials into Wikimedia Commons, partnerships can go beyond text to bridge critical knowledge gaps in, for example, climate science, technology history, and women's history.The session will address critical issues of this type of collaboration:Navigating the social and technical challenges of high-volume, automated contributions across multilingual projects.Transitioning a text-centric culture to effectively host, curate, and search complex digital assets like video and structured metadata.Moving from isolated, project-based "edit-a-thons" to permanent models that align with a university’s core mission of knowledge dissemination.Historically, university engagement with Wikipedia has been siloed within departments or library collections. This interactive session invites the GLAM, education, and multimedia communities to help shape a new model of engagement that respects the volunteer-led spirit of the movement while amplifying the reach of specialized academic knowledge to billions.

Speakers

Andrew Lih

Wikimedian in Residence, MIT Open Learning, MIT Open Learning

Andrew Lih has a long history in the Wikimedia movement and was the 2022 Wikimedia Laureate. He was among the first to use Wikipedia in the classroom at the university level, at the University of Hong Kong in 2003. Since then, he has been a champion of partnerships with universities... Read More →

Peter B. Kaufman

Associate Director, Resource Development, MIT Open Learning, MIT Open Learning

Peter B. Kaufman is Associate Director of Development at MIT Open Learning. Educated at Cornell and Columbia, he is the author of The New Enlightenment and the Fight to Free Knowledge (Seven Stories Press, 2021) and The Moving Image: A User’s Manual (The MIT Press, 2025). An educator... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
4 Room T MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

1:40pm EDT

The Keys to Opening Open Pedagogy: Unlocking Student-Created Digital Escape Rooms Through Renewable Assignments

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:40pm - 2:10pm EDT

2 Room M

ID: 31985

Use the clues to find the keyTo opening open pedagogy.Escape rooms set the learning toneWhere students can create and own.In an introductory Library course, students are tasked with creating digital escape rooms for their peers to pilot test, learn from, and rise to the challenge of finding the key to escape based on a series of clues. Students have the option to license their digital escape rooms using Creative Commons licensing and have an understanding that they are creating an Open Educational Resource (OER) to teach future students. Marketed as content created by students for students, these digital escape rooms are renewable assignments. Renewable assignments are grounded in (OER) open pedagogy research (Wiley & Hilton, 2018) and theoretical frameworks such as self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) and redistributive, recognitive, and representational principles of social justice (Lambert, 2018). In an effort to empower students and include diverse voices in the creation of learning materials, the digital escape rooms are creatively designed by students for future students as they teach and learn the value of libraries, information literacy concepts, or what they want students to know about the syllabus.Participants will gain insight into how this assignment integrates multiple technologies such as PowerPoint for interactive slide challenges, Canvas quizzes with embedded video content (and closed captioning), Canva for designing, and Springshare tools such as LibWizard and LibGuides for structured clues with multiple landing pages that deliver research-based adventures. These multiple levels of digital escape rooms from basic to more advanced provide scaffolding opportunities in online classes for learners to develop skills using information literacy frames such as Research as Inquiry, Searching as Strategic Exploration, Information Creation as a Process, and Information Has Value (ACRL, 2016).The session will outline the open pedagogical framework that was a key takeaway from completing the Open For Anti-Racism (OFAR) training. Open pedagogy transforms students from passive consumers of information to active creators using online learning as the modality for escape rooms, which are popular entertainment for students. Peer to peer instruction increases confidence (Tullis & Goldstone, 2020), aligning this assignment with research that demonstrates increased engagement, motivation, and deeper learning when students proudly publish their work. Wiley and Hilton (2018) highlight renewable assignments as improving student agency and achievement of learning outcomes with work that has lasting value. DeRosa and Jhangiani (2017) emphasize that open educational practices foster inclusivity by amplifying diverse voices in the creation of knowledge in student-authored OER.Attendees will leave with ideas and strategies for implementing digital escape rooms as renewable assignments in their courses, examples of student-created escape rooms for syllabus content,library orientations, and a framework for assessing creativity and information literacy outcomes. The session will also address scalability, sustainability, and alignment with institutional goals such as Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) initiatives, equity-minded teaching practices, and OER creation.This approach democratizes knowledge as student content creators share their lived experiences, embed their cultural knowledge and how they understand the course by creating these digital escape rooms.

Speakers

Natalie Lopez

Librarian, Department Chair, Academic Senate President, Crafton Hills College

With twenty years of professional experience in libraries from: Private Research (The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens), Academic (California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Palomar College, Crafton Hills College), and Public (Rancho Mirage Library and Conservatory... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:40pm - 2:10pm EDT
2 Room M MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

2:15pm EDT

Multilingual Glossary – an OER Addressing Social Injustice in Learning Pharmacology at Nelson Mandela University

Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT

2 Room M

ID: 33338

South Africa has 12 official languages and a multilingual population, with IsiZulu (24.4%) and isiXhosa (16.3%) being the largest languages, and English (8.7%) being one of the least spoken languages in the country [1]. Nevertheless, English dominates the academic learning and teaching across all public universities, with some South African Higher Education Institutions also offering courses in Afrikaans [2].Academic achievements are influenced by numerous factors and linguistic barriers have been extensively documented as significant obstacles to student success [3]. The Bachelor of Pharmacy student cohort at Nelson Mandela University is demographically and culturally diverse. English does not represent the primary language of communication among the students therefore overcoming the language barrier requires deliberate and targeted pedagogical intervention to ensure equitable academic outcomes. Pharmacology modules in the Bachelor of Pharmacy, are presented in English, posing a significant linguistic challenge for students with poor command of this language. The disparity between the language of instruction and students’ primary language can create a comprehension and learning gap, which can be seen as a form of social injustice. A thorough understanding of pharmacological terms is key for pharmacy students to engage more easily with the material and achieve better academic results. This understanding increases confidence in the topic and helps graduates improve collaboration with other healthcare professionals in the workplace, ultimately optimising patient therapeutic outcomes and quality of life.The multilingual glossary was compiled through a comprehensive review of nearly fifty pharmacology reference books, journals, and publications. Upon reviewing the definitions, the researchers focused on simple, understandable English terminology, thereby facilitating translation into South African indigenous languages, which lack specialised medical terminology.This glossary will be a tool that students can easily engage with and will incorporate the referenced English definitions of some of the most commonly used pharmacology terms and their translation into isiZulu, isiXhosa and Afrikaans. The glossary project rollout and growth is being constructed in similar ways as Together, an openly licensed, free and collaborative picture book project funded via the Global Open Education Graduate Network. As an Open Educational Resource (OER), Together has been used to create international learning communities and foster engagement in learning [4] [5]. Our multilingual glossary of pharmacological terminology is being developed to address the linguistic challenge experienced by pharmacy and health science students in South Africa, whilst simultaneously establishing a foundation for both local and global collaboration to enhance learning among healthcare professionals requiring pharmacological knowledge. The multilingual glossary is envisioned to not only be a reference tool but also an Open, dynamic, contributory platform through which users may add terminology and translations across multiple languages, including all the other indigenous South African languages. Current outputs do not reflect the wealth of languages and diversity the landscape engages with [6]. If the medium allows, an audio pronunciation of each term will be considered. The use of the glossary as a mobile application could facilitate convenient content accessibility. Besides being a study resource, the tool could be used in game-based learning pedagogies or the gamification of learning.

Speakers

Gino Fransman

Project Leader: OpenEdInfluencers, Nelson Mandela University

Gino Fransman is the founder of the Open Education Influencers project (https://openedinfluencers.mandela.ac.za) at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. He is the current Africa Hub Coordinator for the UNESCO Open Education for a Better World [OE4BW] program, plus both a mentor... Read More →

Doina Naude

Nelson Mandela University

Doina Naude is an academic professional and clinical pharmacy expert based in South Africa. With over two decades of experience spanning clinical practice, pharmaceutical industry, and higher education, she brings a unique blend of practical expertise, intercultural perspective, and... Read More →

Janet Barry

Nelson Mandela University

Janet Barry is a registered pharmacist and academic based in South Africa, currently serving as Stream Coordinator of Pharmaceutical Chemistry in the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at Nelson Mandela University. She holds a B.Pharm degree (1995) from the University of Port Elizabeth... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
2 Room M MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Hybrid
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

3:00pm EDT

Designing AI to Support Learning, Not Bypass It: A CLT-Grounded MOOC Case from NTHU

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

6 DR4

ID: 33853

The rapid integration of generative AI (GenAI) into higher education has produced a complex and often contradictory evidence base. A three-level meta-analysis found that GenAI significantly promotes higher-order thinking (g = 0.851) but shows no significant effect on creativity or reflective capacity (Wang & Fan, 2025). A broader synthesis of 68 experimental studies found a moderate positive effect on learning outcomes (SMD = 0.45), yet with extremely high heterogeneity (I² = 95%), indicating that AI's impact varies enormously depending on how, when, and for whom it is deployed (Han et al., 2025). These findings compel open education practitioners to move beyond the question of whetherto adopt AI, toward the more consequential question of how to design AI tools that reliably produce learning gains rather than cognitive by-pass.This session reflects on the experience of National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), Taiwan, in integrating five GenAI-powered features into its open MOOC platform through the principled application of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). We contend that CLT, with its precise account of working memory constraints, element interactivity, and the distinction between intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load, offers the most rigorous and actionable theoretical foundation available for AI tool design in large-scale open education. This contention is itself a reflective one: having experimented with broader, multi-theoretical frameworks, we found that CLT's specificity is precisely what makes it generative for design practice.Two empirically grounded risks frame this design challenge and inform our reflections throughout. The first is cognitive offloading (Skulmowski, 2023): when learners over-delegate memory and reasoning to external tools, they tend to retain only gist-level representations rather than the richly organized long-term memory schemas that support transfer and genuine expertise development. The second is the AI placebo effect (Skulmowski, 2024): learners systematically overestimate their own contributions when using AI, producing an illusion of competence that circumvents the productive cognitive struggle necessary for schema formation. Taken together, these risks reveal that AI tools designed without explicit attention to cognitive architecture may perform well on surface-level engagement metrics while undermining the deeper learning they are meant to support.Against this backdrop, the session presents five AI features developed on the platform, each designed to address specific CLT mechanisms. The AI Panda chatbot applies Load Reduction Instruction (Martin & Collie, 2025) through Socratic dialogic scaffolding. AI Integrative Questions maintain productive intrinsic load for schema construction at the close of each course chapter. AI Mind Maps address the split-attention and transient information effects characteristic of video-based MOOC delivery. AI Notes operationalize the worked example effect by reducing the extraneous burden of concurrent note-taking. AI Practice and Open-Ended Questions dynamically calibrate task demands in response to the expertise reversal effect, while leveraging retrieval practice to consolidate long-term retention.We close by reflecting critically on the institutional, administrative, and instructional design tensions encountered during implementation, and by sharing early outcomes from the deployment of these features in NTHU's Pre-AP program. We invite attendees to interrogate whether CLT offers a transferable design language for open education institutions navigating the pressures of AI adoption without sacrificing pedagogical integrity.

Speakers

Tonny Menglun Kuo

Division Director, Division of Learning Support and Research Planning, Center for Teaching and Learning Development, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

Tonny Menglun Kuo, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary Program of Management and Technology (IPMT) at the College of Management and Technology, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), Taiwan. He concurrently serves as Division Director of Learning Support and Research... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

3:00pm EDT

OERs for Kids, Edited by Kids – Online Engagement to Maximise Accessibility and Learning Outcomes

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

7 DR5

ID: 32792

Young people overwhelmingly use online sources for extra-curricular learning, particularly now that many carry a smartphone everywhere. In this new era, resource providers (such as publishers) have an obligation to ensure that our young audience have highest-quality OERs to refer to freely. We must meet young learners in their preferred sphere, and provide trusted sources of information to combat the misinformation which is so prevalent online, causing negative mental health outcomes for young people. Beyond this, for STEMM learning, we should inspire and actively engage with young learners, to ensure we are using a shared language, shaped by our young audience themselves. If we do this successfully, we will maximise learning outcomes and boost STEMM participation throughout the key stages of education. This enables new generations to not just suffer through their formal education but to fall in love with science, and remain science-literate throughout their lives. This is the mission of Frontiers for Young Minds. Discover how our non-profit OER project works with top scientists globally, to re-write their peer-reviewed publications into short kid-friendly articles, published as open access OERs, across all fields of STEMM, free to read for anyone with an internet connection. We offer a case study on how to go beyond high-quality OER publishing by offering an online platform for direct engagement: in our unique peer-review process, every manuscript submitted is reviewed with our global network of kids aged 8-15. By taking in their feedback, we create a shared language of understanding directly between young people and active scientists, ensuring that everything we publish is accessible AND fun-to-read for the young peers of our reviewers. Our Young Reviewers gain critical thinking skills, and by having direct contact with both a Science Mentor (PhD-holding adults vetted by the FYM team and working with the kid reviewers locally) and our Authors (who are leading researchers and whose peer-reviewed research we have likewise already validated), they gain the revelation that science really IS for everyone, helping them engage with STEMM. By raising their “science capital”, we increase the likelihood of them remaining engaged, science-literate citizens, thus boosting public trust in science, and even creating the active scientists of the next generation in future.And interestingly, we can show that the learning goes two ways: our Young Reviewers, by giving their direct and unfiltered feedback to the scientist Authors, empower researchers with that new, shared language they can use to communicate their research to anyone.

Speakers

Laura Henderson

Head of Program – Frontiers for Young Minds, Frontiers Research Foundation (Frontiers Media SA)

Laura Henderson is an academic publishing professional with 20 years’ experience across respected international presses. Now part of the Frontiers Research Foundation, she strategically directs the unique science-engagement project, Frontiers for Young Minds (FYM). Passionate... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
7 DR5 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

3:35pm EDT

Activating Open Collections for Education: Developing Decolonial OER from Cultural Heritage Collections

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT

2 Room M

ID: 32593

As museums and archives increasingly release digital collections under open licenses, millions of cultural heritage objects are now freely accessible online. Yet their pedagogical potential remains largely untapped, and educators often face challenges discovering, contextualizing, and integrating these materials into teaching.Since its launch in 2022, Curationist enables global users to search more than 5.4 million objects from the open-access collections of museums and archives worldwide, connecting curious minds to the histories, stories, and ideas these works inspire. Building on this foundation, Curationist is developing Open Educational Resources (OER) that activate museum collections for use in educational settings.This work responds to persistent gaps in educational materials about cultural heritage in regions shaped by colonization and political conflict. Cultural heritage in these contexts is often vulnerable to loss, displacement, and contested interpretation. At the same time, curricula frequently simplify these histories or rely on archival records shaped by colonial frameworks. Accessible resources that foreground Indigenous knowledge systems and multi-language cultural heritage remain limited.This session shares Curationist’s approach to developing open educational materials for undergraduate students that explore cultural heritage and at-risk histories in times of conflict. Using openly licensed museum objects and archival materials, these resources encourage critical engagement with how conflict, colonization, and cultural resilience shape the preservation and interpretation of heritage.Grounded in a collaborative and decolonial model of knowledge production, this initiative brings together educators, scholars, and community contributors to develop educational content while redistributing resources. By activating open museum collections for teaching and learning, this approach offers a model for expanding access to cultural heritage and democratizing knowledge through open education.

Speakers

Amanda Figueroa

Platform Director, Curationist Foundation

Amanda Figueroa works at the intersection of cultural heritage, digital access, and community engagement. Her work focuses on making collections more accessible, contextualized, and usable for diverse audiences. She brings experience in bridging institutional collections with public-facing... Read More →

Nicole Malli

Community Director, Curationist

Nicole Malli is the Community Director at Curationist, where she brings extensive experience in cultural heritage, community partnerships, and public programming to expand engagement with open access collections. With a background in cultural anthropology, she focuses on building... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
2 Room M MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Hybrid
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

3:35pm EDT

Building the Next Generation of Open Educators: Open Textbooks, Networks and Conversations for the Future

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT

7 DR5

ID: 33737

The #RhodesMustFall student protests of 2015 highlighted the alienation that students in South Africa experience at universities whose colonial origins still dominate institutional culture, resulting in societal and institutional injustices that make it challenging for students to transition to university (Luckett and Shay, 2017). Ten years on, despite a variety of institutional responses to address the issues, transformation is still a work in progress. Open education is considered a global response to address social injustices in Higher education (HE) such as lack of access to quality, localized, relevant teaching and learning materials. Interviews with open textbook authors and student co-creators have shown the authoring process enabled pedagogical change, collaboration with multiple authors and students (Cox et al. 2024).Student voice was amplified and acknowledged during the protests. The inclusion of student voice can continue to bring about transformation and is essential for shaping conversations about the future of HE considering students are embedded in their lived realities and are uniquely placed to understand the needs of their communities. This presentation will address the question: How do we partner with students in OER authoring and bring students into conversation about open education and the future of higher education?There is a growing body of literature describing student partnership but previous work has not included student recognition for co-creating curricula and course materials and how to bring students into conversation with open education practitioners. This presentation will introduce students as partner models and specifically relate them to openness. Three examples of partnership will be introduced, a University of Cape Town pilot project: student fellowships in Digital Open Textbooks for Development. An exciting example of student authorship process in open textbook production “Science is tough but so are you” (Willmers et al. in press). The UNITWIN network of Open Education (UNOE) will be described, including its objectives. The important new and different approach of UNOE has been to begin its collaborative multi-national work with a project enabling student voice.Interviews were carried out with academic authors and students. Students also wrote their own reflections on their experiences. The current UNOE student fellowships project will include outputs and documents collected during the process and reflections of the student co-ordinator responsible for growing the student network. Student fellowships at UCT highlighted the strong student voice concerned with issues of social justice and building sharing resources into future HE systems. The findings from interviews revealed the power of open textbook initiatives to serve as vehicles for promote multilingualism, ‘localisation’ (including translation), epistemic representation and institutional change (Masuku et al. 2025). This presentation highlights a pathway for Open Education sustainability, renewed focus on epistemic justice through open education and students as partners. This research and practice has implication for democratising knowledge, authoring content for specific contexts and circumstance. UNESCO student fellows project if designed to build an open community of academics and students who can support and guide new types of content, knowledge and network for sustainable open education with the aim of addressing epistemic injustice.

Speakers

Glenda Cox

Building the next generation of open educators: open textbooks, networks and conversations for the future., University of Cape Town

Associate Professor Glenda Cox works in the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) at the University of Cape Town (UCT). She leads the Digital Open Textbooks for Development (DOT4D) initiative at UCT. She holds the UNESCO chair in Open Education and Social Justice and... Read More →

Nico Pampier

Student, University of Caoe Town

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
7 DR5 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality Hybrid
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

3:35pm EDT

Cross-Institutional Assessment of Student Outcomes Associated with Course Material Cost in Massachusetts Public Higher Education

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT

5 DR3

ID: 34006

Beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year, the Massachusetts Open and Low-Cost Educational Resource Advisory Committee (MA OLERAC) implemented a statewide process to collect and standardize data on no- and low-cost course materials. OLERAC coordinated with institutional research offices at each of the twenty-eight undergraduate-serving public institutions of higher education in Massachusetts to collect data. Institutions included community colleges, state universities, and the University of Massachusetts System.The first year was a slow roll out with traditional data collection like cost savings and the number of no- or low-cost course sections offered to students. In subsequent years, data collection was expanded to include a comparison of student academic outcomes in courses with materials cost greater than $50 ("traditional"), less than $50 ("low-cost"), and $0 ("no-cost," including open educational resources, library and other free resources). Productive (ABC) and non-productive (DFW) grades were tracked for each student in every course system-wide, comparing academic outcomes among courses with traditional, low-cost, and no-cost materials. Data were further disaggregated by race, gender, and Pell Grant eligibility.In this session, we describe the process and challenges of large-scale, cross-institutional data collection and present two years of academic outcome data. Among Massachusetts public institutions, courses with no-cost materials are associated with lower DFW rates than courses with either traditional or low-cost materials. When the data are disaggregated, the correlation of improved course outcomes and no-cost course materials is consistent across almost all gender, race, and economic groups.Together with numbers of low-cost and no-cost sections and course materials cost estimates, the system-wide academic outcome data show that the use of no-cost teaching and learning materials represents a cost-savings for students, offers faculty additional tools that may be customized to engage students, and is positively linked with student academic performance. That means students who enroll in such sections are better able to persist, increase enrollment intensity, and ultimately complete their degree at a lower cost.Key takeaways from this session are a description of the types of OER data collected by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, strategies for cross-institutional data collection, and assessment of the impact of no- and low-cost course materials on course grades for students from diverse demographic backgrounds. We will also discuss how to identify key partners needed to effectively implement data collection processes within a State’s Department of Higher Education and how to develop strategies to address the data collection challenges experienced when data submission is not mandatory.

Speakers

Connie Strittmatter

Strategic Projects Librarian, Fitchburg State University

Connie Strittmatter is the Strategic Projects Librarian at Fitchburg State University. In her current position, she supports Fitchburg State’s open and affordable education initiative by delivering workshops on OER topics, working individually with faculty to incorporate OER into... Read More →

Amanda Simons

Professor and Chair of Biology, Framingham State University

Amanda Simons is the Chair of Biology at Framingham State University. She is the author of Chromosomes, Genes, and Traits, an OER textbook written with the support from a ROTEL program grant. She is currently serving as a faculty fellow for the Massachusetts Department of Higher... Read More →

Bernadette Sibuma

Director, Online Learning, Massachusetts Bay Community College

Bernadette Sibuma, Ed.D., is the Director of Online Learning at Massachusetts Bay Community College. She serves as a current member of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Open and Low-Cost Educational Resources Advisory Council (MA OLERAC) and the OLERAC Assessment... Read More →

Emma Wood

Scholarly Communication Librarian, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Emma Wood is the Scholarly Communication Librarian at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth. She encourages the adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) among faculty and helps students understand and access OER materials. She serves as a member of the Massachusetts Department... Read More →

Robert Awkward

Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

Dr. Robert Awkward is an educator and scholar based in Massachusetts whose work explores the intersection of open education, inclusive pedagogy, and emerging technologies in higher education. His interests focus on how open practices—such as OER, collaborative knowledge creation... Read More →

Emily Alling

Associate Dean, Library Services, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Emily Alling is the Associate Dean for Library Services at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Massachusetts and leads the open and affordable textbook in initiative at her institution. She is a member of the Massachusetts Open and Low Cost Educational Resources... Read More →

Suzanne Smith

Director of Research and Evaluation, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

Suzanne Smith is the Director of Research and Evaluation at MA Department of Higher Education. She liaises with the Massachusetts Open and Low Cost Educational Resources Advisory Council (OLERAC) Assessment Committee to collect OER key performance indicator data from the 28 public... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

4:20pm EDT

Designed for Humans: Invitations and Boundaries for the Future of Open Courses

Thursday October 8, 2026 4:20pm - 4:50pm EDT

6 DR4

ID: 33860

Designed for Humans: Invitations and Boundaries for the Future of Open Courses explores strategies to move open education beyond static content delivery toward human-centered, equitable learning design that reinforces course integrity while navigating both the promise and pressure of generative AI. Framed through the lens of "invitations" and "boundaries," we highlight course design as an expansion of and integration with OER textbooks. Grounded in research on learner engagement, equity, and Universal Design for Learning, this model was developed and refined in a diverse community college setting with 13,000 students, but the model is adaptable. We invite attendees to bring their institutional contexts, student populations, and constraints to the conversation, and choose what to reuse, revise, remix, or set aside.Invitations and Boundaries Explained"Invitations" encourage students to actively participate, identify content relevance, and build confidence. "Boundaries" preserve course integrity, protect learning outcomes, and keep students on track. When thoughtfully designed, they make open education more usable, supportive, and equitable.The Course as OERBuilding on our “Designed for Humans” work with faculty and institutions, we share a course-as-OER model, treating the course as an intentionally-curated learning experience that includes:Curated, interactive engagement activities tied to OER contentRelevance to students' lived experiencesFocused videos and strategic OER textbook excerptsLocalized content that reflects and speaks to student populationsLow-stakes assessments to reinforce understandingAuthentic assessments that build resumes, college applications, and scholarship possibilitiesThese elements broaden access to knowledge while encouraging active participation rather than passive consumption or AI shortcuts.A Repeatable Module PatternEach module follows a consistent, scaffolded structure:Engagement activity - invites immediate connection, introduces concepts2-minute journal - includes a quick knowledge check with questions drawn from the activityCurated OER content - aligned to learning objectivesLightning lecture - 3-5 minutes, targeted and specificAnonymous poll - low-stakes engagement, formative feedbackCurated OER content - second touchpoint reinforcing the conceptLightning lecture - 3-5 minutesQuiz - question pools created from unique OER and video content Discussion board video post - students apply initial learning Following module - students revisit initial post and respond using newly-learned content and collaborative problem-solvingThis module pattern creates a rhythm that helps students get into the flow. As one student noted, “Once I got started, I didn’t want to stop. I just had to see the next module’s (engagement activity), and before I knew it, I was halfway done with the next module.”For Every Learner, EverywhereOER gives educators the instructional material; intentional course design integrates that material with purpose. Both matter deeply as institutions worldwide serve learners with differing levels of preparation, confidence, time, access, and technological fluency. Attendees will leave with a course framework, examples, and revision ideas they can apply, adapt, and share across disciplines, institutions, and borders. OER works best not as a textbook substitute, but as a foundation for a learning experience that meets students where they are. By reimagining what openness looks like in practice, this session offers a path toward open courses that are truly designed for humans.

Speakers

Claire Sparklin

Professional Faculty: Communication, Washtenaw Community College

Claire Sparklin is a Communication Faculty member at Washtenaw Community College in Michigan and a former instructional designer whose work centers on AI, instructional design, Open Educational Resources (OER), and authentic student engagement. In addition to her college teaching... Read More →

Michelle Westerdale

Learning Experience Designer, Washtenaw Community College

Michelle Westerdale is a Learning Experience Designer at Washtenaw Community College in Michigan. She partners with faculty to create online courses focused on authentic student experience, current pedagogy, and sustainable course design. She brings together her background as a teacher... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 4:20pm - 4:50pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

4:55pm EDT

When Open Content Moves Beyond Vision: Tactile and Multisensory Design for Accessibility

Thursday October 8, 2026 4:55pm - 5:25pm EDT

7 DR5

ID: 33897

Most educational content is often created assuming that learning primarily happens through vision. My work in graphic design has been shaped by a related question: how can communication go beyond just vision? This question arose because I experienced a vision problem caused by retinal detachment. While visual approaches work for many people, they can also create barriers for learners with visual impairments and for contexts where visual access is limited or unreliable. This session explores how graphic design can expand open content by engaging touch, material, and physical interaction.Drawing from practice-based research in tactile and multisensory design, the presentation introduces methods for creating accessible learning materials that go beyond visual methods. Examples include 3D-printed tactile graphics, embossed typographic systems, and hands-on learning tools that can be produced using accessible fabrication techniques and shared as open resources. These approaches demonstrate how design can turn information into physical forms, enabling learners to access content through multiple sensory channels.This session positions accessibility not only as a requirement, but as a generative strategy for innovating open content. Open education has made significant progress in improving access through open licensing and digital distribution. However, much of this content remains visually dependent. Expanding open content to include tactile and multisensory formats can better support diverse learners, including those with visual impairments, as well as those working in environments where screens, bandwidth, or visual attention are limited.The presentation will address how these materials can be shared, adapted, and reproduced. By sharing design files, utilizing common tools like desktop 3D printers or embossing techniques, and encouraging local adaptation, educators and practitioners can create context-responsive learning materials. This method supports the larger goals of open education by supporting not only access, but also participation and co-creation.Attendees will gain an understanding of how graphic design can help develop new types of open content that are inclusive, adaptable, and scalable. The session encourages participants to rethink the role of design in open education, not just as a tool for visual communication, but as a way to shape how knowledge is experienced, shared, and understood across different sensory and material conditions.

Speakers

Taekyeom Lee

Associate Professor of Graphic Design, Indiana University

Taekyeom Lee is an award-winning interdisciplinary graphic designer and design educator whose work explores emerging technologies, digital fabrication, and accessible visual communication. He is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Indiana University Bloomington and received... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 4:55pm - 5:25pm EDT
7 DR5 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation